369 East First Street
(213) 625-0414


Based on ethnic and cultural diversity, the Japanese American National Museum is the first museum in the United States dedicated to sharing the experience of Americans of Japanese ancestry and an integral component of our American heritage.

Centrally located in the Little Tokyo Historic District in downtown Los Angeles, the 100,000 square foot museum opened in 1992, a true union of East and West culture, community, and spirit. The Japanese American story told through the eyes and voices of individuals who lived the experience is a global experience.

Gyo Obata, who designed the National Air and Space Museum, is the architect of the elegant sandstone, granite, steel, and glass museum building, the Pavilion. Interior features highlight a grand sweeping stairway, cherry wood paneling, a centrally located collection space, and expanded areas for educational programs, library facilities and offices.

The renowned landscape architect Robert Murase designed a tranquil, inviting garden atmosphere for contemplation and reflection. An integration of Japanese and American aesthetics, the gardens incorporate plants, a flagstone terrace and the soothing sound of running water, that links the lobby and the museums café. The building's exterior includes an outdoor plaza and a "veil of names" that faces the historic facade and garden, and pays tribute to the many supporters and benefactors of this non-profit institution.

The gallery houses the most thoroughly documented collection of Japanese American artifacts in the world. The opening installation, Common Ground: The Heart of Community, captures 130 years of the Japanese American experience from 1885 to the present, adding depth and character to the immigrant heritage shared by many Americans. The focal point of the collection is a relocation camp barracks in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Dismantled, transported, and reassembled in the museum, it stands as silent testimony and tribute to the internment experience.

The museum's collections have been gathered together from around the world, from individuals, families, organizations and businesses. The acquisition of artifacts, paintings, works on paper, photography, film and video documentation, ephemera, textiles, and recorded life histories has grown tremendously due to support from the community. The broad scope of the collection ranges from vintage kimonos to World War II artifacts and contemporary art. An interactive database including images and text on the entire museum's unique collection is housed in the National Resource Center in the museum.

As part of the larger scope, the museum's outreach program is dedicated to spreading knowledge and appreciation for the Japanese American experience. The traveling exhibitions include: America's Concentration Camps-Remembering the Japanese American Experience at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York and the Kona Coffee Story: Along the Hawaii's Belt Road at the Museu Historic da Imigracio Japonesa in Sao Paulo. The museum is a frequent partner with regional groups across the country in exhibitions that create, preserve and present the shared stories of people of all backgrounds.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00am to 5:00pm and Thursday from 10:00am to 8:00pm. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission is $6.00 for adults, seniors $5.00, children 6-17 $3.00. Children under 5 are free. Admission is free on Thursday from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. School tours are on Wednesday and Thursday. Mornings are less crowed. School tours are not scheduled for Tuesdays, which makes it the best day to visit the museum.

The museum is located at 369 East First Street, Los Angeles and is centrally located between the Golden State Freeway (5), the Santa Monica Freeway (10), the Harbor Freeway (110) and the Hollywood Freeway (101). Phone: (213) 625-0414.